Beverage compositions, for example, soft drink beverages (e.g., cola beverages) and fruit juice beverages, have the potential to cause the consumer of the beverage to experience dental erosion. Such dental erosion can result wherein the beverage composition is acidic in nature, i.e., exhibits a pH of about 5 or below. Additionally, since children are particularly susceptible to dental erosion relative to adults due to the smaller enamel surface to volume ratio, consumption of such beverages may be of particular concern for this group. Accordingly, since many consumers ingest acidic beverage compositions weekly, daily, or even more frequently, it would be advantageous to discover a beverage composition which protects against dental erosion.
The art suggests that such factors as pH, fluoride, calcium, and even phosphate concentration may have an effect on dental erosion and/or dental caries. For example, acidic pH, particularly about 5 or below, is typically considered to exacerbate dental erosion (which occurs by direct action of acid on the enamel surface). For example, Lussi et al., “Prediction of the Erosive Potential of Some Beverages”, Caries Research, Vol. 29, pp. 349-354 (1995) examined the erosive potential of many beverage compositions, all having a pH of less than 5.
Furthermore, Borggreven et al., “The Influence of Various Amphiphilic Phosphates on in vitro Caries Lesion Formation in Human Dental Enamel”, Caries Research, Vol. 26, pp. 84-88 (1992) suggests enamel softening in the presence of certain polyphosphates at levels below pH 5.5. See Borggreven et al., p. 87.
The art suggests that further factors are important in dental erosion and/or dental caries. Lussi et al. (citation herein above) suggests that fluoride concentration is a further factor contributing to dental erosion. For example, among beverage compositions tested by Lussi et al., the compositions having the highest fluoride concentrations showed the smallest amount of surface softening of the enamel. However, highest phosphate concentrations did not necessarily correlate with decreased surface softening of the enamel. For example, apple juice, having a moderately high phosphate concentration relative to many other beverage compositions tested, was also the most erosive beverage composition tested. See Lussi et al., pp. 352-353.
There has been further experimentation with certain phosphates, including pyrophosphates and polyphospates, with respect to dental health, particularly in the area of dental caries. For example, Städtler et al., “The Effect of Sodium Trimetaphosphate on Caries: A 3-Year Clinical Toothpaste Trial”, Caries Research, Vol. 30, pp. 418-422 (1996), suggests that trimetaphosphate (a cyclic phosphate) may be effective against dental caries. However, Städtler et al. utilized toothpaste formulations having near-neutral pH rather than a more acidic formulation. Other studies have suggested efficacy against dental caries using certain phosphates, including polyphosphates, but such studies were typically conducted using formations having near-neutral pH. See e.g., McGaughey et al., “Effects of Polyphosphates on the Solubility and Mineralization of HA: Relevance to a Rationale for Anticaries Activity”, Journal of Dental Research, pp, 579-587, June 1977 and Shibata et al., “Antibacterial Action of Condensed Phosphates on the Bacterium Streptococcus Mutans and Experimental Caries in the Hamster”, Archives of Oral Biology, Vol. 27, pp. 809-816 (1982).
Another study did suggest the efficacy of monocalcium phosphate in low pH powdered beverage compositions for preventing molar erosion. See Reussner et al., “Effects of Phosphates in Acid-Containing Beverages on Tooth Erosion”, Journal of Dental Research, pp. 365-370, March-April 1975. However, this same study further suggested that beverage compositions supplemented with other phosphates, including sodium hexametaphosphate, did not produce significant protective effects against molar erosion. See Reussner et al., p. 367.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need to discover a low pH beverage composition which is effective against dental erosion. In view of the art, the present inventor has surprisingly discovered that low pH beverage compositions comprising certain polyphosphates, as described more particularly herein, are effective against dental erosion. The present inventor has even further discovered that such efficacy may be in excess to similar compositions having such polyphosphate replaced with calcium, which is known to be beneficial to the health of bones and teeth. The present inventor therefore describes herein methods of treating dental erosion using the defined beverage compositions and kits comprising the beverage compositions.